Spartan recruit wins national title

Nick McDiarmid wins High School National Championship at 215 lbs.

DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
• March 29, 2010

Nick McDiarmid, a Hartland senior, won the National High School Coaches Association title with a takedown in the final two seconds of his match against Illinois' Matthew Dwyer.  "It got down to the final five seconds and I knew I had to make a move," McDiarmid said. "He shifted on his leg and I took my shot."

"It was amazing," said Hartland coach Todd Cheney, who watched the broadcast on ESPNU. "We've had five kids go down there before, and only John Corder had ever won a match (in 2008). And now Nick wins the whole tournament. It was absolutely amazing."

McDiarmid concluded a brilliant high school career earlier this month at the state individual championships at the Palace of Auburn Hills.  He was 61-0 while winning the Division 1 title at 215 pounds for the Eagles, the same record he had last year while winning the Division 2 title at Fowlerville.  Ironically, he almost didn't compete.

"We got down here Wednesday and I got food poisoning that night," he said. "I was pretty sick on Thursday, but the next day I felt better and figured that I was there to wrestle. I might as well wrestle."

Afterward, he said, "I'm freaking out. It's awesome. No way I could have done what just happened."  The win gave McDiarmid All-American status.  He will wrestle at 197 lbs. for Michigan State next fall.